


Glimpse Beyond Illusion

by ChromeMist



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, Implied Mpreg, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jean don't have time for drama, Like fur and feathers with skin, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, SnK Minibang 2016, Technically furry, They've got animal features
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 09:20:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7971547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromeMist/pseuds/ChromeMist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world of high ranking socialites, lords and ladies, and princes and princesses, Jean finds it hard to care about the mating event his father sends him to when he has more important things to be doing. But what happens when he receives a mating present scroll that the prince doesn’t think he can refuse?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glimpse Beyond Illusion

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the SNK Minibang. Unfortunately I didn't make the goal word count. But I'm pretty happy with what I have, and have gotten good responses from my 2 artists assigned to me. Thank you to Reynkout and Angel of Darkness! I'll put up links to the works once I receive them. And thank you to my beta reader Spirithorse. This version is not beta'd at the moment. Once I get it back from Spirithorse I'll edit it.
> 
> [Scrapbook piece from Reynkout](http://wear-a-reynkout.tumblr.com/post/150242775595/this-is-my-little-scrapbook-piece-for)
> 
> There will be a trigger list at the beginning of each chapter. This chapter contains technically furries, implied child abuse, and talk of an item that if used creates dubious consent.

Once upon a time walking through the market place calmed Jean down. Whether day or night, there was always a lot of activity. Bright decorations on vender stalls waved in the breeze as if they were calling to passerby’s to look at the wares on display. Exotic smells from red panda and hare stalls wafted through the crowd to entice anyone hungry to stop and eat. Some of Jean’s favorite stalls to linger around were from non-raccoon merchants, like old rhino Braun’s smithy. Being relegated to his family’s shop and having his time taken away to learn the business, he rarely got the chance to see how the wares his family sold were made.

But tonight the smells of food cooking and everyone calling out to each other couldn’t bring him that sense of calm. Walking through the hustle and bustle of the marketplace at dusk, Jean tugged the end of his dark blue vest as his black and grey tail twitched in an agitated manor. His ears drooped slightly as he ran his short claws through his two-toned hair while sighing his displeasure. His ears perked back up when he heard a small equally displeased sigh from his right. Jean watched as his mother’s forehead creased with worry, making her bandit’s mask seem a little smaller for a moment. 

“Mom, I don’t want to do this.” He spoke before his mother had a chance to say anything. He knew what she would say anyway. The same thing she had been repeating every time he and his father got into a fight about Jean’s future.

“You know he only wants what’s best for you.” And there it was. The same, tired line Bernadette Kirstein said as if it would excuse the awful words his father would fling at him. Jean rolled his eyes and snorted, his own dark bandit’s mask fur line crinkling against his skin as he wrinkled his nose in distaste.

“That’s a lie. He’s sending me to this mating ceremony to get me laughed at. He probably thinks if I get laughed out of this, I’ll come home with my tail tucked between my legs and then just go along with mating Emiline Reeves like _he_ wants me to. He doesn’t care about what I want or what I think!” Jean breathed angrily for a moment before reaching into his satchel and bringing out a faded red ribbon wrapped scroll. He pointed the end of it at his mother. ‘The moment I got this stupid mating present scroll from that damn Jeager witch, I knew Dad was just waiting for a chance to humiliate me.” 

Mating present scrolls. Just the thought of them would make Jean wrinkle his nose in disgust. Scrolls were given to other-kin by human witches as a payment for a task the other-kin had done. The type of scroll depended on the deed, or in other cases such as Jean’s, the witches’ shitty humor. While learning the basic education in school, Jean hadn’t paid much attention to the rituals of mating and ceremonies. He had no time or patience for them. About all he cared to remember was that the hierarchy of society would get together for a party so that eligible courtiers could present a scroll to whom they had an interest in. 

“What _do_ you want Jean?” Bernadette asked , pushing the scroll out of her face. “You say you don’t want to mate Emiline, you don’t want to go to this ceremony, but you do want to eventually mate. And don’t deny that!” She rushed on as Jean made to protest. “I’ve seen you eyeing other couples lately.”

Jean lowered his head, the ashen top of his hair obscuring his eyes from his mother’s view. He slipped the scroll back into his satchel as he quietly responded. “I want to choose for myself. I don’t want to be forced into a courtship where I feel nothing for the other person. Emiline is a nice girl, but I don’t feel anything for her. And the ceremony tonight? I didn’t choose to go either. “

Bernadette sighed as they came to a stop in the middle of an intersection. This was as far as his mother would travel with him. She would be separating in order to head farther into the marketplace, needing to check up on some of their stalls. Villagers grumbled under their breath as they maneuvered around the mother and son. Jean shifted uncomfortably as he looked past his mother at the path he would momentarily be taking. The path that led to the royal grounds where the mating ceremony would be held.

Bernadette cupped Jean’s cheeks in her hands, lightly running her short claws along the skin under his bandit’s mask. “I have faith you’ll make the right decision for you. And if you get laughed at…” She trailed off momentarily, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, who cares? You’re a Kirstein, be proud of who you are. As for your father…we’ll deal with that bridge when it comes along.”

Jean sighed heavily but nodded. No more words were needed to be said between the two, so they simply hugged quickly and went their separate ways.

__________

Jinae’s main form of trade was agriculture, making farmers and hunters very valuable citizens underneath the royal family. Although they were still considered middle to low class by nobles, the king recognized their importance to his small districts survival. The more successful merchant families were labeled as the next most important under the nobles, being that they were the go betweens for the farmers and royalty. Farmers and hunters were never allowed onto palace grounds unless summoned by the king himself, but the top merchant families were allowed to come and go at certain times. Even though Jean was the son of the second highest merchant family, he’d never been on the palace grounds. It wasn’t that he never wanted to; it’s that his father had never let him. His father preferred he spend time building relationships with the vendors and other merchants Jean would be dealing with on a more daily basis once he took over. He knew he’d eventually get to see the royal grounds, he just never thought it would be for this.

After identifying himself and showing his scroll to the guards, Jean was left to wander the sprawling garden area. Tables of all assortments of food and drinks were set up along the rose hedges that bordered the area. Palace servants bustled to and from the tables to fetch this and that for the attendees. While securing his scroll back in his satchel, Jean scanned the crowd. There were more than he thought would be here. They all gathered in small groupings scattered around, with some of the more finely dressed closest to a platform.

Jean wandered between the small groups, never stopping to actually listen to the gossip. Just to give his hands something to do other than fiddle with his satchel’s strap, he picked up a flute filled with a fruity smelling liquid from a passing grey mouse server. As he begin to sip on it, he heard someone call out his name. Turning he spotted a dark haired caribou twisting and turning through the small crowds towards him. Jean mentally went through the list of caribou in the surrounding districts that had of age sons that would be invited to the ceremony.

“Samuel.” Jean greeted as he stopped in front of him. Jean vaguely remembered learning about Snate Districts metal working industry and that Samuel’s family was also the second most successful there. Jean’s eyes fell to the dark red vest Samuel was wearing and tried not to snort into his drink. “You do know the princess is already courting someone, right?”

Samuel didn’t bother hiding his snort. “I’m very well aware of that. But my mother made me come as a gesture of good will, or something like that.” A small blush appeared on the caribou’s cheeks as he nervously twirled a few strands of the light grey mane around his neck. “Truth be told, I might already have someone else in mind.”

“Oh?” Jean didn’t actually care all that much, but gossiping about Samuel’s own love life was much better than wandering around aimlessly. And pretending to care may work in the long run could potentially endear Samuel to him, making any future business transactions they could have that much easier. Maybe this night wouldn’t be such a bust after all.

Samuel nodded, making sure his large curved horns didn’t poke anyone near them. “She’s actually a hunter from this district. I came across her accidentally the last time I was here on business with my father.”

“Wait, wait.” Jean held up a hand and waved, stopping Samuel from going any further. “Is she the Braus’s daughter?” When Samuel nodded early, Jean couldn’t help but laugh. Throwing his head back a little, his bandit’s mask crinkled at the corners of his eyes. “I heard the story from Flegel Reeves that she had shot someone from another district in the foot. That was you?” Jean couldn’t help laughing harder at Samuel’s blush.

“It was an accident! I don’t blame her for it. In fact, I admire her for it. Well..” The caribou shrugged his shoulders, the blush starting to recede. “I admire her for that and then yelling at me while she tended to the wound.” Samuel leaned forward towards Jean, lowering his voice slightly. “And she’s not bad on the eyes if you know what I mean.” Samuel’s dark grey eyes darted down to glance at Jean’s dark blue vest. “Though maybe you don’t?”

Jean shrugged, tugging at the bottom of his vest again. “It honestly doesn’t matter to me, but as I said, I already know the princess is otherwise taken. I’m not going to bark up that tree if I don’t have to.”

“Very true…” Samuel agreed. “But all the same, think you could help me out with my love problem? Could you put in a good word for me?”

“What I can do is tell you that you shouldn’t be barking up that tree.” Still chuckling, Jean waved his black furred hand slightly in a dismissive gesture. “I heard my mother gossiping the other day, and part of it was the daughter being courted by some otter boy from a little village a little further south down the river.” Jean shrugged his shoulders as Samuel’s face fell in disappointment.

“I suppose that’s my luck.” Jean nodded while glancing around the area. He noticed more people had arrived and were mingling, as well as a few more guards stationing themselves around the perimeter. He could feel the energy pick up as the crowd seemed to start to get excited. Dismissing it though, Jean turned back to Samuel as the caribou spoke again.

“Speaking of luck, I heard someone here got pretty lucky at getting a really rare scroll.” Jean stiffened at the mention of a rare scroll, gripping the drink’s stem and his satchel’s strap tightly in his claws. Samuel didn’t notice Jean’s uncomfortable posture and kept talking. “I wonder what someone had to do to get a Love Scroll. I heard love spells are the hardest for witches to cast. I can understand why though. It is trying to make two people fall in love that may or may not want to.” Samuel shrugged his shoulders while glancing around the growing crowd. “Most here though wouldn’t think twice about using it though to achieve what they want. I personally would rather fall in love naturally though, wouldn’t you?”

Samuel finally focused back on Jean and noticed how stiff he had become. He tilted his head curiously, eyes squinting at Jean. “Hey, are you o…”

Samuel was suddenly interrupted by a loud trumpet blaring. The crowd hushed all at once as from a corner of the rose hedge barrier, more guards poured out and formed a line from the opening to the platform.

_Here we go._ Jean thought.

Hushed murmurs floated through the crowd as the three finely dressed royals emerged, two brightly colored peacocks and one tan and brown peahen. Jean sucked in a sharp breath as he watched the prince walk across the platform. He hadn’t actually seen him in person before, only heard rumors of his bright colors and good looks. Jean couldn’t seem many details from where he stood far from the platform, but the light from the fire pits shone off the bright blue and green feathers from both the prince and the king. All three made their way to the middle of the platform and sat in chairs set up there. Both males draped their long tail feathers over the back of the chairs. A grey mouse moved to the center of the platform between two lit fire pits to address the crowd. He shifted his trumpet under his arm are he spoke.

“Thank you all lords and ladies for attending Prince Marco’s mating ceremony. We will call you each individually to step up and present your scroll to the prince. Once everyone has presented, you will be free to mingle again.” The attendant moved to one side and pulled out a long rolled up scroll. Unfurling it, he read off the first name on the list. With his name not being the first called, Jean zoned out while the noble stepped up to make his speech.

_They already know someone has this scroll? How could they know that? Only way is if Jeager opened his mouth. If so, then that gives me an excuse to punch him in his stupid face._ Jean thought bitterly as more high ranking citizens were called upon. Blinking his eyes he brought himself back into focus, realizing that Samuel was no longer next to him. Deciding to get closer to the platform, Jean began weaving between the groups. He looked up at the seated royals as he moved. He noticed that the brown haired princess looked almost bored. _That would make sense. It’s not her ceremony._ The king looked slightly interested though, while the prince looked apprehensive. It seemed the prince wasn’t even looking at each person presenting scroll after scroll to him. _That’s odd._ Jean though. _But maybe he’s just shy._

“Jean Kirstein!” A loud voice boomed from the platform. Jean jerked to a stop, his tail twitching in an agitated way again. Sighing in resignation, he moved toward the platform and stopped between two lit fire pits. Looking up at the three seated royals, he dug into his satchel as he spoke.

“Your highnesses, I am Jean Kirstein, only son of Jakob Kirstein of the Kirstein Company. The scroll I have to present to the prince is…” As Jean pulled out the light red scroll, he heard gasps and whispers of approval from behind him. He raised his eyes up to the three seated royals. “The scroll I have is…” He watched as the prince lifted his eyes up upon hearing the gasps. Jean watched as soft brown eyes widened and both he and his sister sat up straighter. Jean gripped the scroll tightly in his hand and momentarily closed his eyes. “This scroll I have to present to the Prince is useless!” Jean tossed the scroll into the fire pit to his right. The gasps turned to shock. Jean felt his irritation turn to anger and he could no longer keep it bottled. Clenching his fists he turned from the platform and verbally lashed out.

“That type of scroll is disgusting! To make someone unwillingly fall in love is horrible. You’re taking away someone’s right to choose. And shame on all of you!” Jean threw out a hand and gestured to the entire crowd. He was met with both wide eyes and angered looks. “Shame on all of you who admired the power of that scroll. Shame on any of you that would actually use it.” Lowering his arm he turned back to the platform and bowed quickly to the shocked royal family. “My Lord, I’m sorry for my outburst. And I’m sorry I no longer have a scroll to present. I’ll see myself out.”

Turning away with his head bowed, Jean made to leave. News of his outburst would reach his father quickly. ‘This is going to be one Hell of a fight’ he thought bitterly. ‘Maybe I can just pack some stuff and leave for the next kingdom and never show my face anywhere again.’ 

“Wait!” More shocked gasps and whispers rose around Jean as he stopped a few feet away from the platform. Hesitantly he turned around. Looking back to the platform where the voice had come from, Jean saw the prince himself standing, his arm outstretched towards Jean himself. The light from the fire pits bounced off the prince’s bright colorings as he moved his arm and placed his hand inside the sleeve of the opposite arm. The prince never took his eyes off Jean as he stepped back towards the platform. “Would you care to join me in the gardens?”

Jean’s eyes widened in surprise. He nodded silently and made to follow the prince. The prince himself turned back towards his sister and father and nodded at them before moving to a small set of stairs. Blushing furiously, Jean stepped up to the prince. The prince gestured with a nod of his head toward a higher expanse of rose hedges with a small opening. “Shall we then?”

Jean nodded again and fell into step next to the prince, a guard quickly falling behind the two of them.


End file.
